life lately

Apparently all my blog posts will now just consist of life updates and be about two months apart from each other.

Haha, hopefully not.  But I did want to just give you all an update of what's been happening lately in my life.

This semester is much busier than last in that I'm taking 6 classes (4 online), and I'll also be starting a new job next week.  It's nice to be busy, though, after a pretty boring fall semester.

As many of you know by now (hopefully most of you that I know personally will be getting a letter in the mail soon if you haven't already), I'm going to Kenya in July!  After learning about Project 82 from the campus minister of RUF here at NMSU, I decided to go for it and see if everything would work out for me to go on a mission trip this summer.  As it turns out, everything seems to be falling into place, so I am pursuing this opportunity!  It's pretty terrifying if I'm honest, but I'm so excited as well. I'll be going July 21-31, and I'll update more on here as I learn more.

At the beginning of this semester I finally found a church home in Las Cruces through Grace Bible Church.  I've really enjoyed getting to know the members there through a college Bible study and just hanging out.  Unfortunately, the pastor of Grace, Josh Allen, passed away Monday night.  He was killed in a car crash and leaves behind his wife, Shelley, and their nine-month-old son, Josiah.

Even though I didn't know Josh very well, I looked forward to knowing him better because he really was such a great man.  When I first started attending the church I emailed him with a bunch of questions about their fundamental doctrine and he replied in great detail, making sure he answered each question thoroughly.  I really appreciated his taking the time to do that, and over the next few weeks I enjoyed seeing him every Sunday and getting to know him better.

Please pray for Grace Bible Church as we grieve the loss of our pastor and try to figure out where to go from here.  Josh's death came as a huge shock and I think we're all still reeling, but we know God has a greater plan and purpose than we can ever know here on earth.

Death is swallowed up in victory.

O Death, where is your victory?  O Death, where is your sting?

thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:54-55, 57

Chloe's 8th birthday

 Happy 8th birthday, Clovie!

2014 River of Lights

Thursday night my family and I went to the River of Lights as an early birthday present for Chloe.  It was so much fun!  I always go there expecting to be bored, but it's really beautiful and I always enjoy it.  Enjoy the pics. :)

 Getting ready to go

new year's resolutions '14

And here we are, on the first day of 2014!  Happy New Year, everyone. :)

Here are my resolutions for 2014.  Some of these are kind of repeats from last year, seeing as they're easily transferable throughout life.

1. Treat my body and mind in a way that honors the Lord.

2. Plant seeds in the soil of my soul through memorization of Scripture--sowing to please the Spirit.

Some Christians sow to the flesh every day,

and wonder why they do not reap holiness.

-- John Stott

3. Read one good, edifying book every month.

4. Write to my Compassion kids more often.  I didn't do very well on this in 2013, and since these kids are some of the most important people in my life, I want to be more faithful to them.

5. Be more consistent in making time for the Lord every single day, through reading His word and prayer.

6. Make a radical plan.  For instance, I have a very tentative plan for going to Kenya this summer.  Whether or not it'll actually happen, this is a very radical plan for me, and I can't wait to see what the Lord will do!  This year I want to be more open to the scarier things the Lord may call me to do. 

7. Serve.  Whether this occurs through volunteering somewhere, getting involved in my church, etc., I want to serve more.

Let us not lose heart in doing good,

for in due time we will reap

if we do not grow weary.

Galatians 6:9

13 in '13

So this was my mini bucket list for 2013 and how I did.

1. Go back to Mexico.  Even if it's just for a weekend like last time, I'd love to spend some more time there!

2. Write more.  Maybe even write a novel?  That means a 50,000 word document according to my friends at Nanowrimo.  That's just kinda my goal.  Who knows if anyone will ever see it, but I think it'd be cool to have written something that long.  I have something now that's at about 38,000 words, and I honestly cannot imagine writing anything longer than that since that took just about everything I had in me!  So the goal's to write more, but it'd be nice if I could conquer 50,000 words.  As of December, I haven't really completed anything, but I have been writing more.  So at least it's getting out.  Every once in awhile I have a sudden strike of inspiration and have some word vomit for about two days...and then it's gone.  Lol. ;)

3. Run a mile.  Rachel has this app called Zombie Run that might help inspire me.  The zombies are right behind you--runnnnnn!

4. Go to a wedding.  I'm not sure if this'll happen since no one I know seems very close to marriage...  Maybe I'll just crash a stranger's wedding. ;D 7/20/13 and 11/23/13.  Turned out to actually be someone I know!

5. Figure out where the heck I'm transferring to!  Check...let's go to Las Cruces!  Moving to NMSU--8/18/13.

6. Contribute to my church more through preludes, participating in leading worship, helping with the little kids' Sunday school, maybe even youth group? Started joint-leading a Sunday school class for 4th and 5th graders with Rachel in February.

7. Get a job. 4/6/13.

8. Share the gospel with someone.

9. Reach 60 followers on this leetle blog.  3/16/13!

10. Have at least three or four sister dates with Chloe.  We both love those times together. #1: 3/14/13.

11. Start a savings account...and actually keep money in that thing.

12. Live to be 20.  See?  Easily attainable.  Also...I'm having a really hard time thinking of these goals. Check, 8/24/13.

13. Do something reckless and unexpected.  I am not a spontaneous person--totally stresses me out--but I'd like to try and branch out from that this year.  Maybe I'll go skydiving.  Or bungee jumping.  Or get a tattoo.  Or...not any of those.  But I'm sure I can think of something. :) 11/16/13.